Happy 1st Birthday Benjamin Fritz

It is hard to believe that our sweet little boy turned 1 on the 23rd! Time really does fly. He weighs in at 23 lbs. (50%) and is 31 inches tall (75%) He has been such a joy to have around this past year. He is a charmer and lights up when he comes in contact with just about anyone. He loves to dance and he loves to keep his hands and feet busy and he loves to be held and he loves his sister and his dad and his mom (maybe loves his mom a bit too much but I'm stocking it up for the teenage years!) We love you so much little Bubba!!

On his actual birthday it was one of the rare 70 degree gorgeous Seattle days. We headed downtown and spent some time at a park and beach. Then we went to Spaghetti factory for dinner. He loved every minute of it.





Marty took more photos with his camera but instead of delaying the post I'll just add a few more photos when he transfers them to my computer.

Thanks to Aunt Angie and Uncle Kevin for the awesome water table. It has been and continues to be a huge hit. The first day he just got soaked within 5 seconds.

The next time I got smart and put his swim attire on before letting him dive in.

He started to walk in the evening on his first birthday and is really getting around now. He is so proud of himself and always looks around the make sure he has an audience.

Easter Egg Hunt

Josie and Benjamin had fun at Boyan's family's annual Easter Egg Hunt. Shannon, Boyan's mom, does a great job every year. She may have over done it a bit this year. She filled and hid 700 eggs. Along with brunch, arts and crafts and backyard fun, it was a great morning for everyone.
She Josie with her purple bunny eyes on? All the kiddos lined up for a photo before they took off to search for eggs.

Josie was on a mission yet again this year.

The kids sitting with their loot. Benjamin is trying to figure out how to open the plastic eggs and I'm sure Josie is trying to see if there are any more eggs out there.

There was a little construction table that kept Benjamin busy

And, of course, he always finds something to put in his mouth.

Good Friends!! Boyan, Bryn and Josie. Friends since they were 3 months old!

Easter and Benjamin's birthday coming up next.

Visit from Kelley and Tim

Last weekend we had a great visit from Tim and Kelley and had fun celebrating Kelley's big 4-0!! The kids loved hanging out and playing with them, reading books, playing games, telling jokes and Benjamin even got his groove on. What a little ham...not sure where he gets this :-)


They even took Josie to Alki for a couple of hours!!

Playdate Mondays

The past few weeks we have been having what we like to call "playdate Mondays" Josie has been wanting to have her friends over to visit so we have been filling our Mondays with playdates, art projects, band practice, princess dress up, cupcakes and sparkly lips.
A few weeks ago we had Marlo over and she and Josie had a great time doing art projects (fish bowl and blue birds) and eating crafty snacks. Grandma and Papa have been sending her Animal Baby books since she was little and in the back are these crafty ideas that I seldom have time for. Josie was thrilled we finally got around to them.
This is the "lion snack" she has been asking for... looks a little bit more like a mouse but whatever :)

The following week Clara came over and brought her princess dress-up clothes. They dressed up and switched outfits and dressed up again and then put on a "show" and had band practice and played outside.. a full day for sure.

This past Monday was her good friend, Mia's, birthday. Mia wanted to try a "make-over" for her special day. It just consisted of a bit of blush and "sparkly" lips but they felt like big girls and very "princessy"

Benjamin and Ellie had fun eating goldfish and hanging out

Josie getting some blush

Checking each other out

The girls

And back to Mia's for a birthday cupcake

Fun, full Mondays for sure.

UH-OH!!

Watch out world, little Benjamin Fritz is on the move!!

Hard at Play

Benjamin is a water baby. He LOVES the water. He loves playing in the bath and in the swimming pool. Now when I wash his hands in the sink he head dives straight in and the other day I was unloading the dishwasher and there was some water on the door... next thing I knew he was half way inside the washer. Crazy kid.

We have discovered the the measuring cup drawer is at the perfect height for playing/working when Benjamin is in his high chair... tons of entertainment. This one likes to keep his little hands busy, busy, busy.

Our little artist continues to create. She draws, paints or creates something (actually many somethings) each and every day.

Little Benjamin wants to get in on the artwork, too. Or maybe just wants to get into the art box.

These kids love to play and more and more they are loving playing together. Such a joy to watch them having fun together.

One big one teaching one little one bad tricks.

Julie gets in on the playing.

I can just see both of them jumping from couch to ottoman someday very soon... UH-OH!

Life Captured

We had an amazing photo session with Jesse Michener on Sunday. She has an incredible way of capturing life as it happens. OK, so now just to pencil her in for every year right around this time.... She pretty much sums it up in her blog post and you can see all the photos and the video in the link. I have to admit, I've watched the video no less than 15 times so far. Check it out here: http://lifephotographed.com/2011/04/marty-riemer-family-l-seattle-family-photography/ Thank you, THANK YOU, Jesse!!